Probe sought into bank closing Arabs' accounts

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) — A Muslim civil rights organization has asked the U.S. Treasury Department to investigate JPMorgan Chase & Co. for closing bank accounts of U.S. Arabs and Muslims.

The Southfield-based Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Michigan chapter sent a letter Wednesday to the Treasury Department’s Office of the Currency. The letter says CAIR and other organizations have received “a series of complaints” about Chase closing accounts.

The Associated Press reached a JP Morgan Chase spokeswoman who said she was unaware of the complaints but would look into them. A message also was left with a Treasury Department spokeswoman.

Another civil rights group sent a letter in March to the Justice Department alleging similar actions by several banks.

CAIR says it’s concerned the accounts are considered risky because of the holders’ religion or ethnicity.